Robert Short

DOUGLAS (WNE) — Converse County Commissioner Robert Short has formally announced his run for the U.S. Senate seat held by Mike Enzi.

The two-term Republican commissioner held a kick-off rally Monday at Glenrock’s Higgins Hotel, which he and his wife Janella own. The businessman grew up in Glenrock and lives in Douglas. The couple’s six companies are based in Glenrock, employ more than 150 people and have operations around the country.

In his announcement, Short described himself as “a widely known, Wyoming-raised, business man and philanthropist” and said his campaign will focus on issues related to energy, tourism and agriculture.

The  other Republican candidates to announce so far are former U.S. Rep. Cynthia Lummis of Cheyenne, Mark Armstrong, Joshua Wheeler and Patrick Dotson. Jackson financier Foster Friess is holding “listening tours” around the state to gauge whether he should make a bid for the Senate seat. Friess, a staunch conservative who backed President Donald Trump, used his wealth to run for Wyoming governor in 2018, barely losing to current Gov. Mark Gordon in the Republican primary. Enzi is not running for re-election.

Conceding he may be facing an uphill battle against Lummis’ statewide name recognition and Friess’ wealth, the 57-year-old Short insisted that his is a true Wyomingite story that will resonate with voters, especially workers in the state. 

He grew up poor in the small Converse County community, attended Glenrock High School and worked on the Duncan Ranch for $1 an hour to “buy my own shoes, because my parents couldn’t afford to do that,” he said during an interview prior to the announcement.

Since returning to Wyoming after working in Colorado and around the world, Short has since built a group of diverse companies in the energy, technology, drone, electrical, construction and hospitality industries.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Lummis received the endorsement of both Enzi and Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo. All three served together in Congress years ago.